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Wednesday, February 27, 2013

R&B crooner R. Kelly Bumps and Grinds His Way Through First Bahamas Concert

Nassau,
Bahamas - American R & B sensation R. Kelly showcased his bump and
grind skills emblematically during ‘A Celebration of Love’ concert on
February 24th at the Seaside Pavilion in Arawak Cay.

The Bahamas Minister of Youth, Sports, and Culture, Daniel Johnson,
gave remarks prior to Kelly’s performance conveying to the 'women-only
section' in front of the catwalk, the most coveted front stage area of
the pavilion, that it was in fact, “A No Underwear Zone.” Johnson also
advised the guys present to “hold on” to their girls tightly. At that
point many of them could be seen clutching the hands of their wives and
girlfriends, almost with a zip- tight grasp, in case they were either
snatched away by the crooner himself or slipped away-seduced by his
bedroom balladry rhythm and groove.

When Kelly came to the stage around 10:30pm the crowd went completely
out of control. From exaggerated smiles to uncontrollable screams from
the zealous fans, there was certainly no room for doubt that he was well
received and loved. He donned a white traditional American-style blazer
paired with a white crew neck t-shirt, indigo denim jeans, and a pair
of white throwback kicks. To accessorize his ensemble further on, Kelly
wore a studded diamond pendant that glistened at every turn. And just in
case it wasn’t enough of the sparkle, he sang with a cordless
microphone encrusted with a diamond like effect.

Under the white seductive tents the Grammy Award winner began his
hour-long performance with a medley of smashing hits which included
“Bump n’Grind” from his 1994 first solo album 12 Play. “Freaky in The
Club”, “Fiesta” , “Ignition” and while performing “12 Play”, in an
attempt to stir up a little more fire, he allowed himself to be groped
for nearly sixty seconds by one of the Bahamian ladies, who certainly
didn’t shy away from his assets. This of course was the crescendo of the
night’s bumping and grinding, not crassly explicit, but just suggestive
enough to elicit screams and to have women licking their lips the rest
of the night away.
Kelly went on to perform “When a Woman’s Fed up”, “Step in the Name of
Love” which won two Billboard Music Awards in 2004 for Best Top R&B/
Hip-Hop Singles/ Airplay. Kelly’s use of the dramatic pause while
performing was nothing short of riveting and left the audience craving
for more. While R&B performers like Usher and Justin Timberlake
attempt to be silky with their moves, there’s certainly no artist in the
industry who’s seductive flair is more capable than vintage Kelly.
My favorite part of the night was the “I Believe I can Fly”
performance. This song has been the greatest musical accomplishment for
the Chicago born star, earning him 3 Grammy Awards in 1998. He won the
(1) Best song written specifically for a motion picture category, (2)
Best R&B song and (3) Best male R&B vocal performance. His
Nassau performance of this song was an awe-inspiring moment. The
audience interacted with each other, and there was a spirit of love and
unity intertwined with a spirit of peace. Men and women could be seen
with outstretched hands, almost in a soaring like position like that of
an eagle, embracing the full impact of the anthem’s compelling lyrics.
This was the only song of the night in which Kelly attached the
microphone to its accompanying stand. It exuded formality. The crowd
sang in unison and passion, while Kelly sang to his heart’s content,
also at times with outstretched hands in what I would consider the
most poignant performance of them all.

In
an industry saturated with ego’s, stage tricks, and a mindset to
deliver 100% perfected vocal dynamics, many R & B / pop superstars
fall into the cheating temptation of lip synching ballads during live
concert events and televised broadcasts, but Kelly’s first-time
performance in The Bahamas was the quintessential contrast, proving that
it could be done smoothly without resorting to overpowering
choreography, pyrotechnics or pre-recorded renditions. The audience was
blown away, not just by his edgy gyrating moves, but by his singing and
skill set to communicate each song’s message during a live performance.
“He had so much energy, consistency, stamina and charisma”, concert
goer Shevon Dillett said enthusiastically. However when asked to play
the devil’s advocate on pointing out a single bad thing, she absolutely
couldn’t. “It was the best concert ever to be held in Nassau. But I
guess if there was one bad thing, perhaps his one-hour performance was
just an hour too short, because it certainly could have been longer.”
The R. Kelly’s Post Valentine Celebration of Love concert was a
collective effort. The opening acts consisted of Eleutheran dance
queen, Gia Miran, who opened up with “Girl on Fire” by Alicia Keys,
and Sketch Carey, the son of Patrick Carey from the world renown and one
hit wonder trio Baha Men performed a few originals including, “My
Candidate” and “Wine For Your Man”. Other acts included Dee- Jay Mel
from out of New York and indie recording artist Darnaa who performed her
hit single “Runaway”. The night’s event was produced by Fresh
Entertainment Bahamas and hosted by ‘Special K’ of 100 Jamz and
sponsored by Heineken, Breezes, 100 Jamz and various other
contributors including Kasimu Ellis and staging was provided by Burton
Wallace of the Movi Group.
Overall the R. Kelly, ‘Celebration of Love’ concert was a success on
many accounts. For one, it started on time and two it was the
audiophiliac’s dream come true. The high quality sound remained
consistent throughout the night void of any annoying feedback. And so
with an astute observation, I can declare that mothers, dads, grandpas,
granny’s, sons and daughters, all alike enjoyed themselves. Although I’m
not an R. Kelly fan, I can still acknowledge the success of a concert
well done, but Kelly the next time you’re in town try giving a little
bit more eye contact. “Try losing the shades at night!” Hence I’ve
given this performance a rating of four golden stars. Until next time,
I’m out!